pathfindersisl - Simple Machines

Simple MachinesCENTRAL IDEA: To meet basic needs, humans have developed tools and simple machines which use physical forces.

Enduring understandings	Essential questions
There are 6 types of simple machines Simple machines use forces Simple machines are used to meet human needs Tools are simple machines that help us do work. Simple machines can be combined	What is a simple machine? What is a tool? What is a force? What is friction? Why were simple machines invented? How do simple machines work and how are they used? What are the 6 types of simple machines?

Click here for a 16 minute film that introduces simple machines.

Search for any of the following keywords in an encyclopedia such as Britannica or on WebPath Express on the library catalogue to find information about simple machines:
Simple Machines, Gears, Wedges, Inclined Planes, Screw, Wheel and Axel, Levers, Pulleys
Use the same keywords to search for books in the ISL Library Catalogue

Click here for an interactive simulation about simple machines from Edhead.

Gears	Pulley	Websites
Lever	Wedge	Streaming Videos
Inclined Plane	Screw	Games & Quizzes
Wheel and Axle		Experiments

for Teachers:

Simple Machines Unit Lesson Plan
Many Lesson Plans for Simple Machines
6 Rube Goldberg machines - to ring a bell.
. Video of first grader's Rube Goldberg machine
The OK GO video that inspired Audri's machine
A video advertisement for Honda’s Accord car in 2003 became very famous. The advertisement is a two-minute long series of domino effects. It took 606 takes to make the video. You can watch it here.